


The Fool

by HandsoapPls



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, But am I, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I'm Sorry, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, n o p e
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 07:24:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12164214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandsoapPls/pseuds/HandsoapPls
Summary: There comes a time where everything in the world comes to a halt. One second, one moment, a pause in time so lost within the rest, the moment in which everything changes. Within that time there's a force that sends the head spinning, the throat closing and the tears falling. Jesse McCree was a fool for not getting there fast enough, he was a fool for thinking he could.





	The Fool

The Fool

There comes a time where everything in the world comes to a halt. One second, one moment, a pause in time so lost within the rest, the moment in which everything changes. Within that time there's a force that sends the head spinning, the throat closing and the tears falling. Jesse McCree was a fool for not getting there fast enough, he was a fool for thinking he could.

The day burns fresh in his memory, ever present in his mind. Jesse McCree had a past, he had his scars but they had healed with time. This time there was no scar, just a wound slowly draining the life from him. Jesse figured he should have blamed someone, but he blamed himself. If he had been quicker maybe...if he had been better. The team was worried, that much he knew. Jesse knew that they couldn’t have done anything better. It was all on him. It was a miracle he was still functioning, the sleepless nights never seeming to end. Every night it was the same scene dancing in front of his eyes, the day where everything went wrong. When he awoke again, he would just be the fool who was alone.

~~~

It was early in the morning that day when Jesse awoke to the sound of his alarm, the sunlight just beginning to creep into his room. He crawled out of his warm sheets, glancing at the clock on his nightstand. Beside the clock were pictures of him and Hanzo on the few dates they had been on since the pair had gotten together. There was one of the time where he and Hanzo had gone to get ice cream. There was a drop of mint ice cream on the archer’s face, Jesse remembers wiping it off. He also recalled the sweet kiss they shared after, the flavors of mint and chocolate mixing as their tongues met. 

Smiling, he turned away from the picture and headed to the bathroom, careful to not trip on the clothes on the floor. Jesse chuckled to himself. If Hanzo saw his room right now he would be in a down right fit. His boyfriend kept telling him to keep his room cleaner, insisting that being a mess was no excuse to live in one. 

Jesse stopped in front of the bathroom mirror, his eyes reflecting happiness back into him. As he picked up the razor to shave he wondered what he had done to get so lucky. He loved Hanzo with every fiber of his being. And amazingly Hanzo loved him back, even through all his faults and scars. Jesse was happier now than he had been in a long time and he would never stop being grateful for it. With one last wink into the mirror he stepped out of the bathroom and towards his closet, grabbing his hat as he went. He did have a mission this morning after all.

 

As Jesse stepped out of his room, his bones cracked, serving as a reminder of his increasing age. He worried about the day where he could no longer be confident in his abilities. He was almost 40 now, and this life was unforgiving and cruel. He could hear the sounds of Starcraft coming from Hana’s room and a soft beat from Lucio’s as he walked towards the airpad. He walked past Hanzo’s room and Jesse couldn’t help but smile. It was the prospect of seeing his boyfriend that made him walk just a little faster.

Hanzo was already there when Jesse arrived, and he sent a quick smile his way. The brown of Hanzo’s eyes looked even more enchanting in the early morning light, their warmth finding it’s way into his very being. God, he had never seen anyone more beautiful. And somehow he was the fool who got to call Hanzo his. 

“Good mornin’ darlin’”. He drawled, leaning towards Hanzo to give him a quick kiss. It was short and sweet and Hanzo tasted of that fruit he loved, something Japanese that Jesse didn’t even want to try and pronounce.

“Good morning cowboy”. One of Hanzo’s hands found its way into Jesse’s hair. 

“Fucking hell...If you’re done...fraternising over there, some of us have a mission to complete.” 76 cut in, his grumpy demeanor disrupting the moment. 

The other two men practically jumped away from each other, unwilling to be on the receiving end of Jack’s wrath. The soldier gave a grunt of amusement before ushering them onto the aircraft. When they boarded Jack began his brief, calling everyone’s attention. Besides Jack, Jesse and Hanzo, the team consisted of Ana, Zarya and Reinhardt, all eager to complete the mission at hand.

“In a few hours we’ll be landing in Dorado, we have intel of a major talon base that has shown up on the grid. The objective is to secure the area and eliminate any hostiles within the base. As usual, be prepared for anything they may throw at us…”. The tactics fell on deaf ears. When 76 noticed everyone was either half asleep or already sleeping he then decided to follow suit and get some sleep aswell, claiming something about how he was too old for this shit. Jesse and Hanzo were in a corner together, quietly conversing as they drifted into unconsciousness. 

The archer and cowboy awoke to Reinhardt’s pre-mission pep talk, which never ceased to both inspire and annoy them all at once. 

“Don’t worry my friends! Glory will be ours!” Reinhardt shouted, his words echoing throughout the room. Jesse huffed quietly as Hanzo curled back into his side. Sleep still remained in the back of his mind, and Reinhardt’s booming voice was an unpleasant wake-up call.

“Let’s see what you’ve got old man. And don’t forget you promised to arm wrestle me.” Zarya said, her words challenging the giant crusader.

Reinhardt flexed and thumped his chest. “Ha! You shall see what a real warrior looks like!” It was the same squabble every time the two of them were on a mission together, each of them wanting to out display the other.

“Children, behave. I swear you two do this every mission.” Ana said, her hands on her hips. The two calmed down immediately, not wishing to witness the famous look of disappointment, which Jesse had been on the receiving end of many times. He turned to Hanzo, who was barely awake.

“Hey Hanz, I’m mighty glad we’re together on this op. It’ll give me a chance to show ya that I’m still better than ya.” Jesse said, a smirk on his tanned face.

Hanzo glanced at him, annoyance in his features. “My name is Hanzo you big oaf, and you are not superior to me in any way. Where did you come up with such a delusion?” 

“I seem to recall that I won the competition last week. I reckon that makes me better Hanz.”

“Well I seem to recall that you cheated in that competition. I do not need to resort myself to such tactics cowboy.” 

“I did not cheat! Where are ya gettin that?” 

Hanzo started to laugh, “Asking one of the recruits to rewire the system to give you extra points counts as cheating.” 

“What an outrageous accusation! I’m wounded darlin!”

“Do you take me for a fool? Jesse, I noticed when your score went up by two points instead of one.” 

A feigned look of shock came upon the cowboy’s face.“Why didn’t ya say somethin then?”

“I figured that if I let you win just once, you wouldn’t complain the next time you are defeated.” 

“Hey now! That’s just dirty darlin. Takin away a man’s pride.” 

“I have done far more dirty things than that to you, and you have not complained.” 

A blush spread across Jesse’s cheeks, remembering the passionate nights he had shared with Hanzo.

Athena’s voice came over the com,”Dropship landing in 2 minutes. Please prepare for exit.”

Hanzo leaned over and pressed a kiss to Jesse’s forehead before getting up to grab his bow. A smile came across Jesse’s face as he followed the archer, putting peacekeeper in her place by his side. As the craft landed the rest of the team filed out, leaving just Jesse and Hanzo on the aircraft. With one last kiss they went to their separate ways, Hanzo’s metallic feet disappearing over a wall. Jesse moved to his position, keeping his eyes and ears open for any sign of the enemy.

The brown brick of the streets of Dorado clicked under Jesse’s heels, the clink of his spurs the only sound in the dead of the night. The bright lights of shop fronts lit up his vision as he went along the patrol route. The others were tasked with clearing out the Talon base, while he and Hanzo were patrolling the surrounding area for any who escaped. All was quiet so far, and Jesse expected to hear the all clear signal over the coms within minutes.

A sudden noise came from behind Jesse and he quickly turned to face the disruption. He dived against a crate of fruit, the adrenaline beginning to rush through his veins. Through the dark alley he saw a flash of black fabric from behind a corner, and Jesse readied his gun. He saw the flash again and with a quick shot from peacekeeper the Talon agent dropped to the ground and blood splattered the walls. Another shot came from behind him and Jesse pressed himself against the wall. He spotted what looked to be a sniper and quickly fired again, the agent falling from his perch to the street. After making sure the area was clear Jesse pressed his com button.

“This is Agent McCree, additional Talon forces are coming in. Keep your eyes open and get out of there!”

“Understood. Moving out.” 76 said, signaling to the team that they would have to retreat.

He pressed the com again. “Hanzo are you clear?” 

Hanzo was probably in the middle of a fight, unable to hear him. Hanzo was fine, he's a fierce fighter, surely he’ll be okay. Checking around him once more, Jesse made sure the area was clear and began moving in on Hanzo's position. They would need to group up for extraction anyway. As he jogged Jesse tried the com again.

“Hanzo? I'm approaching your position.”

As Jesse waited for Hanzo’s reply, a feeling of dread consumed him. What if he was too late? He continued to approach Hanzo's position, the sound of gunfire and fighting piercing the air. How could he not noticed the agents sooner? He frantically tried the com again hoping for something. Anything.

“Hanzo! Come in darlin, please...”

“If ya can hear me...please darlin let me know”

Jesse began feeling even more desperate than before, praying to every god he knew, praying that the man he loved was safe. As he hit the com button again a strain of static came through the channel. 

“Jesse I need help!”

Running through the streets Jesse shot at any agent in sight, eager to get to his archer. Jesse ran up the stairs of the building Hanzo was in, fully unprepared for the sight soon to be before him. He was too late.

Hanzo was lying there, back leaning on the wall. There was blood staining his kyudo-gi the red spreading across the beautiful blue silk. Jesse rushed over to Hanzo, his hands finding their way to the wound. Applying pressure, he brushed a hair away from the archer’s face.

“Hanzo, darlin what happened?”

There were grunts of pain splitting his words apart.

“...Talon agents...one of them... had a knife…there were too many...”

Jesse pulled back the kyudo-gi to see gaping slashes across Hanzo’s heart and abdomen, crimson blood pouring from the wounds. 

“I..I’ve got to get Ana! Darlin you need help. Please stay with me Hanzo…”

“Ana! This is McCree I need you at my position now! Hanzo’s been injured”

A reply came shortly over the com, and the line went silent again. One of Hanzo’s shaky hands made it’s way to Jesse’s arm, his cold fingers gripping the flesh. The rich brown of his darlin’s eyes was dulled as it became harder for Hanzo to stay awake.

“Jesse watch out!” Hanzo pointed below, a group of Talon agents about to breach the building.

There was no time to think, Jesse had to act fast. “It’s high noon…” The sound of six shots went off, the men and women in black falling to the ground. The brick of the street soon became stained with crimson. He immediately turned back to Hanzo, his eyes now noticing the many bodies surrounding his boyfriend. His eyes widened as he rushed back to Hanzo’s side.

“Jesse...I need you to know something.”

“Darlin I-” Hanzo shushed him gently.

“When I met you Jesse, I was a broken man. I was too focused on my past, too caught up in my anger and self-hatred. I thought that no one would ever want to know, let alone love the monster that I was. But somehow you did. You loved me better than anyone ever has, and that is a debt I will never repay. I am glad to be spending my last moments with you, in hopes that somehow I will be able to make you as happy as you made me.”

“Hanzo.. Ya not gonna die. It’ll be fine darlin just fine. Ana’ll come and fix ya right up, I swear on it.” Tears began to prick at Jesse’s eyes.

“Jesse don’t be a fool. My injuries are fatal. There is no point in wasting her time.”

“Hanzo.. I may be a fool but you believe me when I say that nothing is a waste if it's for you. I love you Hanzo, and I always will. I would follow you to the end of the world if ya asked.”

Hanzo looked up into his eyes, hot tears streaming down his face, as he reached for Jesse again. 

“I love you too. Promise me something Jesse. Go and be happy. Leave me behind. I never deserved you, be with someone who does.”

“I’m not promising shit! I'm not leaving ya darlin! You're wrong, it's me who doesn't deserve you Hanzo. I’m gonna wait right here till Ana comes.” Jesse said, a defiant look in his eye.

“Please promise me Jesse.. Make it back to the team safely. Be happy. Please… tell Genji that I’m sorry for everything...” Hanzo’s breaths were becoming more labored by the second as he pressed a kiss to Jesse’s lips. Tasting salt, Jesse opened his mouth to reply just as Hanzo shut his eyes. Jesse watched as the slow breaths came to a stop and the archer finally looked at peace. Hot fast tears ran down his face, more coming with each second.

“No! Please! God whatever I did to deserve this please take it out on me! Please! Ya can’t take him away from me. Not like this… I love him. Do ya hear me ya bastard? I love this man.” Jesse’s rambling sobs continued as he sat there next to Hanzo’s body. 

Jesse didn’t know when Ana arrived, all he remembered was her voice reassuring him and then the slight prick of her sleep dart lulling him into sleep.

“I’m sorry Jesse. Sleep now my child..”

The next thing he remembered was waking up on the dropship as it landed back at Gibraltar. His head was pounding and his throat was raw from despair. He stumbled to his feet and walked out of the dropship, his usual smiling demeanor now empty and cold. Zarya and Reinhardt approached him then, one of each of their hands finding their ways to Jesse’s shoulders.

“We shall never forget the fallen my friend” Zarya said to him, even her eyes red from tears. She then walked away, her particle cannon nearly dragging on the floor.

Reinhardt came next, tears in his eyes as well. “Jesse my friend, we will get justice for Hanzo. I swear it! If you need anything let me know kamerad.” The crusader went over to Ana who gave him a short hug before sending Jesse a motherly look of sympathy. 

Genji approached him and looked as if he wanted to say something. Jesse beat him to it.

“It’s my fault.” That was all he said to Genji, all he said to anyone for days after Hanzo’s death. The guilt kept eating away at him, devouring his broken soul. The team was there for him, trying to break him out of his depression.

The day they planted a tree over Hanzo’s grave, it was said that Jesse’s tears helped the tree grow, the love and loss being sent to Hanzo in the beyond. It was the most beautiful cherry blossom Jesse had ever seen, fitting for the man it was grown for. The tree came into view as Jesse walked up the hill in Gibraltar, his eyes finding another figure beneath the tree. 

He and Genji visited the grave everyday, each of them mourning in their own way. As he knelt down beside the cyborg, Genji looked his way. 

“Y’know Genji… Hanzo wanted me to tell ya that he was sorry...for everything.” A sigh came from Genji, his head hanging down.

“My brother never forgave himself did he? It is sad to think that Hanzo died with regrets.” Genji reached out to touch the tree, his metallic hand a contrast to the dark wood. Jesse tensed, a tear threatening to fall down his check.

Upon seeing this, Genji continued. “Worry not Jesse. I am certain that you were not one of those regrets. I had never seen my brother as happy as when he was with you. You helped him through a dark time and I thank you for that.”

Eventually Genji left Jesse there alone, staring up at the tree. Jesse often talked to the tree, hoping that somehow his words would reach his beloved.

“I miss ya Hanzo.. So damn much. We all do. I hope that you’re happy wherever ya are. I love you.”

“Maybe I am a fool, for thinking that I deserved this… but for ya I would be anything.”

Jesse sighed and leaned against the tree watching the sunset over the sea. The wind began to blow, the blossoms falling in time with his tears. He was a fool for every moment he wasted, thinking that he and Hanzo had forever. Fate was a cruel mistress, and as he closed his eyes he knew that this was his punishment for the wrongs of his past. He drifted into sleep, finding comfort in being as close to Hanzo as he could be. Yes, it was true. Jesse McCree was a fool.

**Author's Note:**

> Tons of thanks to my friends for motivation and to @jackieyaky (http://jackieyaky.tumblr.com) on Tumblr and their friend for beta reading for me! Please feel free to comment <3


End file.
